The purpose of meditation is not to create a mental vacuum but to come to know one's own mind.

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

True happiness is not found through the multiplication of desires but through their simplification.

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

Meditation is not about escaping from difficulty but about meeting it with awareness.

Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves, as well as all parts of the world.

When we understand that peace is not dependent on external conditions, we can find it in the midst of any circumstance.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

The dharma is not in the books. If you want to find the dharma, look in your mind.

Just as the wise do not take a mirage to be water, nor an echo to be a voice, so the enlightened do not take the world to be real.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

The Buddha taught that wealth does not bring happiness and security. The pursuit of wealth is a matter of living in balance.

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

Don't take life too seriously. No one gets out alive anyway.

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.

Intrinsically all living beings are Buddhas, just as ice and water are of the same substance.

My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

The entire path is a path of self-responsibility. Nobody else can walk it for you.

Should you desire the great tranquility, prepare to sweat white beads.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.

The essence of the teaching is emptiness and compassion. Without emptiness, compassion can become attachment. Without compassion, emptiness can become cold and distant.

True freedom is a freedom from the tyranny of our own thoughts and afflictive emotions.

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help.

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

Happiness is not about getting what you want, but wanting what you've got.